100 Different Ways
by alwaysbeenyou
Summary: It's been several months since Jess suprise visit to see Rory but both are finding it hard to move on from seeing each other again. Can a wedding help relight an old romance? Lit mostly with a little LL in.
1. And now the nights are so cold

**Okay background information. This is set middle of the season. April doesnt exist(It would have been too much of a distraction from the main story if I had included her) and Logan and Rory are Together still. Rory is back at Yale and is living with Paris. ****My Jess may be a little out of character at the moment, since this is my first fanfic ever and Jess is hard to write.. Please R&R!**

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Everything was silent. It was how she liked it. It gave her time, space to think. Think about him. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about him yet here she was thinking about him again. She liked to pretend that it was just seeing him that had caused these thoughts however she knew that every night before that last visit she had at least one thought of him. Jess. Even though it was over 2 years since they had broken up, since he left her with no explanation, she felt more connected to him than anyone. She loved Logan, she had loved Dean but she would never love anyone like she loved Jess. And she had always liked to think that they would someday be together when Jess had sorted himself out. And now he had, she had someone in her life.

Logan was, well he was Logan. The total opposite of Jess in so many ways and yet so similar. She knew thats one of the reasons that attracted her to Logan. He made her take risks, kind of like Jess did. She did love him. She truly did but she always questioned whether his lifestyle was one she wanted for herself. As she led in her bed, Her mind wondered back to Jess. Where was he? Was he with a girl? Was he happy? Was he thinking about her? All these questions which she desperately wanted an answer for floated around her head. Would they ever be answered? With a sigh, she pulled the covers over her head and again hoped for sleep.

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A ray of sunlight shone through the window, causing him to squint and slowly drag himself up. As he looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table he heard himself groan.

"Leah! Why did you turn off the freakin' alarm?"

A blonde woman, about 5'5 walked through the door with a cheerful grin on her face. She had an apron with a silly feather duster in her hand. Jess gave her a questioning look.

"Oh for hells sake, I turned it off cos you deserve a lie in, you've been working hard and you know what they say! All Work, No Play?" The blonde replied in an annoyingly eager tone. She worked her way over to the bed and sat down by Jess' feet. Jess knew that she only meant well, yet he still scowled. Her eager expression turned into hurt and he softened the scowl.

"Look, I have to work. No work equals No money. You want to end up on the streets? Cos I have both been there and done that and I dont really want to go there again!" With a kiss on the forehead he climbed out of the bed

"Oh, Jess, theres some mail for you, one has the conneticut postal mark so I assume its from your uncle? Anyway, I left it on top of the freezer. Do you want eggs for breakfast?"

She smiled. Jess tried to force a smile back, his mind was on the post. Since when did Luke write to him? If he had something to tell him surely he would have told him in their last phonecall? He dragged his tired body, grabbed the mail off the freezer and locked himself in the bathroom. It was silly that he was nervous, it wouldnt be from her. As he worked through the bills scanning for the conneticut mark that would be a sign. When he came to the gold overdressed envelope, he sighed. It wasn't her handwriting. How stupid of him to think it would be from her, she didnt even have his address. When he finally calmed himself down, he opened the envelope. As he read his heart filled with dread and delight all at once. It was a wedding invitation from Luke. This meant one thing, he would be seeing Rory in 6 weeks time...

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**I know that was short but I promise more is on the way, I just want to see if you like it so far and etc. So please review, it would mean the world to me.**


	2. The Memories come rushing back

**Thank you for all the lovely feedback people 3 I am so happy that you are enjoying the story, I hope that you enjoy the next chapter. I already had it written up but havent been able to update for a couple of days due to computer issues. Again, thanks for the amazing feedback, I was sooo happy :D.. On with the fic then..**

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Rory fiddled with the keys to open the door to her house. It wasnt strange at all coming back to Stars Hollow after her long abscence, nothing had changed really. It was still the same place it was four years ago. When he was here. She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind. She walked into the house cautiously, as if to ward off any other thing that would trigger her memory. The house was a lot different from four years ago. Not only had it been redecorated and remodeled, it had a different vibe about it. She pondered for a minute onto what could have changed it and then the answer hit her. Luke. It was no longer the Gilmore residence, it was the Gilmore-Danes residence or it was about to become that anyway.

Rory made her way to her room. She was dreading walking in there, last weekend she had made excuses for the whole night which then finally resulted in her and her mother pulling an all nighter. She knew what she was afraid of, all the memories which would pour out of the walls, the bed, the floor and into her the minute she set foot in there. She slowly reached for the handle and opened the door. She walked in and stood taking it all in. Her feet took her in the direction of her bed where she sat still trying to cope with the intensity of this room. The bed still felt the same as all those long hours she had used to talk to him about nothing in general. Comfortable conversation. That was something Jess and her had always shared. Rory knew that she was the only person that Jess tried to show himself fully too. He could be vunerable with her and she too with him. It wasnt something that was always apparent but they both knew that they were each others support.

A tear rolled down Rory's cheek. She had tried with all her might to stop this room becoming yet another assiociation with Jess and had almost succeded. She couldn't do it anymore, she couldnt pretend that what he did to her didnt hurt her, she just couldnt push it aside like she had for the past four years. Rory knew deep in her heart she had to face her past so she shifted herself to the floor and pulled out a cardboard box from under her bed. The "Jess" box which she had refused to touch for almost four years.

Her hands were shaking as she lifted the lid off. She nervously reached into the box and pulled out a book, Howl. Looking at the cover gave her shivers through her spine. The first time they ever met, the first part of her he had ever touched. She opened up the book to the first page, a note scribbled inside. It didnt say anything romantic but it was his handwriting. Jess' handwriting. His voice echoed through her head and into her heart. "I knew we were supposed to be together the first time I saw you.. and you know it too". She quickly closed the book and put it back into its hiding place. With her head in her hands, she silently sobbed until she exhausted herself to sleep.

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Rory rallied around the kitchen the next morning. Keep busy to stop thinking had become her motto, not that it ever worked but keeping busy was a productive thing to do. She picked up a few of her mothers folders, when she noticed a pink glittery one with the words "Wedding Planning" across the front. She walked over and sat at the table. Sure, she could look but would this plunge her thoughts into even more Chaos? So she sat and stared. She was almost so swept away with her thoughts that her mother went totally unnoticed when she swept into the kitchen and announced herself.

"Morning Hun.."

Rory almost jumped halfway out of her skin. "Don't do that, god, do you want me to die at a young age?"

"So you want me to stop walking into my own Kitchen now? Should I wear a bell so you can hear me at all times?... Hey, what is with the quietness?"

Rory ignored the question

"Do you happen to have the list of people that have RSVP'd to the wedding?"

"Uh.. Yeah, why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well why are you so interested?"

"Why shouldn't I be interested hey? I mean I am the cheif bridesmaid right? I mean I have a right to know who is coming, seeming as I'm supposed to be organising this thing and hey.. have I actually organised everything? Nope. I just thought it was my time to pitch in you know.."

Rory looked down at the floor and back up to meet her mothers eyes. She felt the tears forming for some reason she couldn't quite place her finger on. And then Rory felt her mothers hand on her shoulder. She stood up, desperate to get away from any comfort zone.

"It's.. uh.. nothing, I was just wondering if Grandma had got back to you?"

Lorelai gave Rory a questioning look and Rory turned around to the coffee pot, longing to shield herself from her mothers pounding eyes.

"Yes.. My mother may act like the wicked witch of the east but all it takes is a little confetti to melt her.. Are you sure thats all you wanted to know?"

A split-second revelation that honesty may indeed be the best policy overwhelmed Rory and she felt his name tumble out of her mouth.

"Jess.."

Lorelai fiddled with her hair nervously. She had no idea why the subject of Jess made her nervous, it should be Rory who should of been nervous, maybe even a little horrified.

"Well, as much as I hate to say this, he is Luke's nephew babe. It would be kind of rude not to invite him, not that I would usually care about being rude to Jess but Luke cares, so I have to care"

Rory span around, slightly shocked.

"No, he should be there. Infact I want him to be there. It would be good to see him again.. Catch up a little"

Lorelai felt her eyes growing wider. Rory returned to her seat at the table, her confidence growing with every word.

"Uh.. are you sure? I mean because the last time you two spoke, the way you left it. I mean you didnt exactly part on the best terms, not ever good terms.. Hell I dont think the worst terms in the world could cover the way you left things"

"Maybe things have.. I don't know.. changed"

"He asked you to throw your future away Rory.. To drop everything because he felt that he was more important.."

"No.. I mean yes he did and it was stupid. What he said was silly and impossible, a little selfish even but he only said it because he wanted to be with me"

Lorelai felt the irritation bubbling inside of her. Not towards Rory but towards the situation that Jess had put her in and the way he always had some kind of control over her daughter.

"No Kid, he didnt care for anyone but himself. He left with no word to his uncle who had taken him in, No word to his girlfriend who had stuck by him through a lot and given up a lot to be with him"

"You never liked him Mum. No scrap that, you never wanted to like him. You didnt know him! You looked at him the same way everyone else did around here.. and you lot all wonder why he left? Maybe it was because he was sick of people like you looking down on him, or maybe he was sick of his girlfriend who never ever put him first. Or maybe he got sick of the lot of us, Stars Hollow. Maybe just maybe, we were in the wrong for once and not him!"

Rory had been unable to stop the words from flowing out her mouth. She looked up at a clearly shocked Lorelai who was still trying to process what her daughter had just accused her of.

Rory stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her. She fell to the floor and pulled out "the box". She grabbed Howl, clutching at it and collapsed on her bed shaking violently with tears. She found it ironic that the Room that she had feared was going to turn into her prison less than 12 hours ago, had now turned into her sanctuary.

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**Please review hehe, Your comments always help me along 3Next chapter should be up tomorrow, thank you for readingxx**


	3. And Your Future?

**Okay, so I know I'm not updating that much, college is taking up the most of my time but I have been writing this fiction wherever I can, I have a book of all the chapters and Im gonna try and get them all typed up today! I promise hehe. Thank you for all the amazing feedback again, it keeps me going, you all rock! The good thing about this is I know exactly where I am going and exactly what is going to happen with the characters. No I'm not telling you now though hehe ;)**

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Jess was led on the couch with a book in his hand. Not reading the book but staring at the words searching for some answers. Every single word he looked at seemed foreign to him. He wanted to pretend like he didn't know what was distracting him but he knew all too well. The gold envelope still led perfectly on the table beside him. Every so often when he got bored of staring at his book, he would stare at the envelope instead.

Keys jiggled in the lock and Leah walked through the door, she rolled her eyes when she seen his position.

"You still reading? I thought you would have finished that book by now, you've been reading it for like 3 days..."

"Yeah, well.."

Leah caught a glimpse of the gold envelope on the table, she eyed it up cautiously.

"Who was the letter from?"

Jess snatched the envelope off the table and held it in his hands for a second before putting it in his back pocket.

"It wasn't a letter, it was a invitation"

"From?"

"Luke.. He and his fionce are finally doing the deed"

"Oh..."

She held back for a second, Jess rarely talked about his life before. She knew just about that he had lived with his uncle Luke in conneticut and that he'd had a girlfriend there. He hadn't mentioned anything else. She had found a couple of his letters from Luke while cleaning and she knew that this girls name was Rory. She was afraid to mention this "Rory" because it was obvious from the letters that this "Rory" was an important part of his past and she didn't want to pry anymore than she had. She then walked over slowly to sit down beside him. With her head on his shoulder she felt she was ready to tackle the important question..

"So... are you going?"

"I have to, he's done a lot for me. Plus, I'm the best man"

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"Uh.. Possibly

"Possibly?"

"It's just it's not that big a deal, you wouldn't know anybody there and well where he lives is a bit of a looney bin"

"So.. I'd know you. Is there a reason that you don't want to show me off to all your old friends and family?"

"That's not it at all, its just.."

"Rory?"

Jess pulled away from her with wide eyes. How did she know about Rory? She shouldn't know about Rory.

"What? How do you know about Rory?"

There was a long pause. A 2 second silence that felt like an hour, she stood up and began to pace, thinking how to answer.

"I.. uh.. I was cleaning, and I found a letter"

Jess felt the anger rising inside of him. How dare she go through his stuff, how dare she read his personal letters, how dare she have the nerve to mention Rory"

"So.. you read it?"

"I just wanted to know a little about your past, you never speak about any of it. I need you to open up to me more, I found the letter and took the chance"

"Leah.. Rory is my past.. you are my present"

She bit her lip.

"...And your future?"

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When Rory woke up, it had felt like the worse hangover ever. She had fallen asleep on her bed after she exhausted herself with her flipout. She looked at her alarm clock and was surprised that she could sleep that much. 

"Oh god.."

She slowly stood up and walked to the door deciding to do what she should have done hours ago. She stood nervously behind the door and then charged out. Lorelai was sat on the sofa with Paul Anka by her side watching some old movie. Rory strided into the living room and stood infront of the TV.

"I have something to say"

Lorelai muted the TV and frowned at her daughter.

"Okay..."

Rory stood silent for a second, wondering where to even start and how to form the words that she wanted to say. Suddenly her mouth took over.

"I saw Jess"

"Boy, I thought you were just going to apoligise.. Jess? as in JessJess? As in JessJessJessJess?"

"JessJess"

"Are you sure?"

"I think we've established it was Jess, Mom"

Lorelai could understand why her daughter would want to keep this from her, she wasn't exactly Jess' biggest fan. She patted the sofa to motion Rory to sit. Rory shook her head.

".. Well when?"

"A couple of months back"

"And?..."

"He was Jess.. but he wasn't Jess"

"You are messing with my head here kid"

"He was so different..Mature. He was all grown up, and there I was acting like a child. He wrote a book you know.. A book! I always knew he could do something great and he did. I mean you should read it, it's amazing and I'm not just being bias because it is amazing. And he was the same old Jess, but different you know?"

"Hold on, slow down. Mature. Book. Jess. Okay, got it. Are you sure it was Jess?"

"Mom.."

"Okay, It was Jess.. He still cute?"

"Mom!"

"Well, it's a valid question!"

"He was.. Jess"

"So in otherwords he was still cute"

Silence fell over the room yet again. Rory sighed and sat down next to Lorelai. Lorelai put her arm around her in a comforting embrace.

"You still have feelings for him"

"No.. I don't! I'm with Logan"

Rory was blantently lying to herself and her mother. She could see it and she could see her mother could see it.

"It wasn't a question honey.. You do, It's human nature, he is your ex. And you two were never a closed chapter.."

Rory knew Lorelai was right, she has always known it. She just knew that if someone else had told her it, it would become even scarier because then she would have to do something about it. Something about it? What could she do about it? Jess probably had someone else, he had a whole other life. It would be selfish of her to butt in and try and take him away from it.

"I just.. I waited for him to become that guy.. and now he is that guy and I have a total different guy and.. I miss him.. I tried so hard to push him out of my mind when he first left, telling myself he wasn't worth it and that I needed to move on. I never had a chance to.. wallow"

"Well do you want to be with him?"

Rory looked away, not knowing how to answer this question.

"I think.. I think I do"

She fidgeted again, ready to move on from this conversation for now. Lorelai knew that the rest would come later and for now, they needed some kind of safety zone.

"Hey.. you know what we need right now? Ice cream!"

"Have we got cones?.."

"Well seeming as we haven't got ice cream, probably not but seeming as I'm going to Doose's to get some icecream I could probably pick some up.."

Lorelai kissed Rory on the forehead and picked herself up. She started searching for her coat and shoes.

"So it's Ice cream, cones, anything else?"

"I don't think so. Thanks mom.. Oh and Mom?...Sorry"

"It's okay, hun."

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**Well that chapter was short and dialogue heavy but I thought it was appropriate. Please leave me feedback and I shall love you forever hehe xxxxxx**


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